Fitness Furst: Matching Activewear for Dogs and Humans

Dogs may be man's best friend, but pups in activewear are a woman's best walkies buddy, according to Melody and Cameron Townsend, founders of Active Creatures.

After spending years "one hundred per cent in the business of dance and yoga clothing," the Melbourne-based, husband-wife entrepreneurs noticed an increasingly popular trend: activewear selfies posted to social media featuring dogs.

Whether trying their paw at a yoga pose, photo-bombing a HIIT workout or simply taking a nap in the background, pooches were showing up in their human's fitness feeds and the result was a highly engaged audience. From there, Active Creatures became a luxury sportswear brand with a four-legged twist.

"When we think about women and their dogs, we think about the incredible connection and love that exists," says Melody on the website. "It is in keeping with our brand’s philosophy of creating a life filled with joy."

On offer are a wide selection of chic leggings, crop tops, tanks and jackets for humans, while dog clothing incudes stylish snoods, jackets and tees. Notable garments include the badass Wolfgang jacket, complete with mock leather trim and gold zips; the Storm Trooper bomber in camouflage for outdoor-loving pups and the California Girl Dog Tee, a quality cotton number with tropical vibes, perfect for beachside jogging. For cool-down and stretches, there are three styles of sassy dog bed and bean bag covers available, adorned with cheeky phrases like 'Paws and Relax' and 'It's a Dog's Life'.

Better yet, customers are invited to donate five per cent of their cart's value to one of three animal charities. Over the chillier Melbourne months, the Active Creatures team donated a collection of warm winter coats to one of the charities, RSPCA, giving some of Victoria's less fortunate pups the chance to make some new friends, like Toby (the face of Active Creatures) and PinstaPals’ resident poodle, Jinkee.

Although the Active Creatures range is exclusively online (with free shipping across Australia), a brick-and-mortar store could be just around the corner. Until then, keep up to date through the Active Creatures website or Instagram, and don't forget to take a post-workout selfie with your pooch.